Listeria Prompts Romaine Lettuce Recall

Listeria Prompts Romaine Lettuce Recall

True Leaf Farms of Salinas, Calif., has recalled 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine lettuce due to suspected listeria contamination. It was shipped to retail or wholesale distributors in 21 states.

No illnesses linked to the lettuce have been reported. There does not appear to be any link to the ongoing outbreak of listeria in Colorado cantaloupes.

True Leaf Farms of Salinas, Calif., is recalling 2,498 cartons of chopped or shredded romaine lettuce. The FDA detected listeria in a single bag of the lettuce during routine tests.

The lettuce was shipped to retail distributors in three states: Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. It was sold directly to consumers only at Cash & Carry Smart Food Service stores in those states. The 2-pound bags bear the code "B256-46438-8."

The FDA advises anyone who has the recalled lettuce to "destroy it" or to call Church Brothers, the sales agent for True Leaf Farms, at 800-799-9475.

If you have eaten suspect romaine lettuce, be aware of the symptoms of listeria illness, known as listeriosis. Listeriosis symptoms can appear anywhere from three days to two months after eating contaminated food. They include fever and muscle aches, and may also include stiff neck, headache, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.

Despite the current outbreaks, listeriosis remains an uncommon illness. But it's very serious. Listeriosis is fatal in about 20% of cases.

Listeria rarely causes serious disease in healthy people. However, some people are at greatly increased risk. These include: